I just uploaded a set of trip reports for 2015 visits mostly in the John Muir Wilderness to Crown Ridge, Upper and Lower Box watershed, Old Pipe Lake, Geraldine Lakes, Blackcap Basin, Maxson Lake and more. Please visit: http://www.sierrahiker.com/Trips2015/index.html

TehipiteTom wrote:Great reports, Bill! Your botanical mission adds an extra dimension of enjoyment and interest to these trips...and it doesn't hurt that L. Leeana happens to be one of my favorite wildflowers.

Thanks for the feedback, Tom. I was a little worried that the botany might be distracting. But, I figured that a couple of places I visited, like Maxson and Old Pipe Lakes, might make up for it.

One of the cool things about the daily observation reports on iNaturalist (e.g., http://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/sekihiker/2015/7/24) is that you can click on "Map" to the right of "Grid" and "List" and see where I made that day's observations and, therefore, the route I took.

LOVE your website, already have it bookmarked. Reading some of your other reports in the area, it seems like difficulty navigating and deteriorated trails are to be expected in the locale. I experienced it firsthand trying to make it to Spanish lakes July 5th.

zacjust32 wrote:LOVE your website, already have it bookmarked. Reading some of your other reports in the area, it seems like difficulty navigating and deteriorated trails are to be expected in the locale. I experienced it firsthand trying to make it to Spanish lakes July 5th.

Glad you are enjoying the website, zacjust32.

I wonder what the Crown Valley Trail will look like after the Rough Fire? It looks like they ran a dozer line several miles up the trail from the Crown Valley trail head. Also, it looks like fire burned from the Crown Valley trail toward Spanish and Geraldine Lakes. I hope it cleared out a lot of the dead wood that was blocking the trail. I can't wait to get in there next summer.Bill BA Geology '73, Fresno State, Go Dogs!